Keyboard for tabulating-machines.



PATENTED SEPT. 29, 1903.

C. F. PIDGIN. KEYBOARD FOR TABULATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1899.

VIIIII II IIIIIIIIIIIII h I I III IIIJ I III I II .I III I .2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a n." n 1 CII I H I FQ U II E I I I I I I I II I I l I II AIII III -I IIIIIIIII IIII. III IIIIIIII .rIIII I I I II- I I I I II I II I II IIIIIIrIIIIIIlI LII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII I IIIIIII.II .IIIII.III.II

I l I l III III IIJLIIIII I .I

FIIIIII I III III" s TI INVENT U Q I 3- Qmf] M X ITNEEISEB THE normsprrzns c0v PIIQTILLITIIQ, WASNINGTQN, 0.1:.

UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

KEYBOARD FOR TABULATING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,042, datedSeptember 29, 1903. Application filed July 31, 1899. Serial No. 725,575.(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PIDGIN, of Boston, in the county ofSufiolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Keyboards for Tabulating-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of means for tabulatingor compiling statistics, such as sociological and population statisticsof a census. I

In the compilation of items or statistics relating to individuals incensus-work it is the practice for each enumerator of a district tosecure all of the items or data relating to each individual, as age,sex, color, place of birth, conjugal condition, birthplace of parents,employed or unemployed,relation to head of family,length of residence ina town,city, or State, the. These data are placed upon sheets, fromwhich tables are made with particular reference to certain items orcorrelations of items in which each individual is regarded as a unit.For instance, it is not only necessary to prepare tables showing howmany persons are male or female, white or black, native or foreign born,&c., but also to prepare others showing how many have the samecharactertics or how many are white, males, twentyone years of age,native-born, and follow the same occupation. Consequently it has beenthe practice to transfer from the large sheets those data relating toeach individual and subsequently compile statistical tables from suchtransferred items.

The present invention has for its object the provision of means fortransferring data electrically from the sheets to registers or counters,and thereby dispensing with the Writing which has been heretoforenecessary in the preparation of tables.

If desired, I may employ instead of the large sheet, as thus described,punch-cards or original cards, as described in my copending application,Serial No. 720,995, filed June 17, 1897. These cards are connectedtogether in a strip, and each card is devoted to certain facts or itemscalled correlations of items relating to individuals.

The mechanism which I employ consists of a plurality ofcounting-machines adapted to be actuated electrically. and a pluralityof keys or manually-operable switches, which are electrically connectedwith the counters. These keys are preferably arranged in banks and uponbeing depressed by the operator close the circuits through thecorresponding counting-machines. The counting-machines which I prefer toemploy in connection with the switches are specifically illustrated anddescribed in the said application hereinbefore referred to and areplaced in a large cabinet or casing, so that the results may be easilyread or ascertained. The keys and the counters are each adapted toreceive small slips of paper or cardboard each bearing a sym bol, thesymbol of each key corresponding to the same symbol on one of thecounters. As previously stated, the said keys are arranged in banks, andthey may be manipulated like those of a type-writer, whereby the itemsoccurring on the enumerators sheet may be quickly and easily tabulatedand counted.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lindicates in plan view a keyboardcontaining banks of keys. Fig. 2 represents a section through the same.Fig. 3 represents one of the keys in section. Fig. 4 represents the samein plan view. Fig. 5 represents the cabinet containing a plurality ofelectrically-actuated counters. Fig. 6 represents a diagrammatic view ofa portion of the circuit.

The keyboard consists of a base a, having end walls a, adapted toreceive three strips a a a of non-conducting materialarranged indifferenthorizontalplanes. Eachofthestrips is adapted to receive threerows of keys, such as those shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4/ Each keyconsists of a support or post b, secured to the strip by a screw 1),which also acts as a binder for the wire 11 The post or support Z) ispr0- vided with cars 11 to receive the ear 5 of the movable member orkey b the latter being fulcrumed in place by the pin b. The key is heldnormally raised by a spring b", attached by a screw 1) to the under sideof the key and resting upon the post Z) betweenthe cars 6 0 indicates astationary contact, which is secured to the strip by a screw 0, to whichthe wires 0 are attached. The contact 0 is directly below the key 12 andthe current may be closed between the two by depressing the said key,the end of the spring 12 being carried forward and downward, as at b, soas to lie directly above the beveled portion 0 of the stationarycontact, so that it touches the contact when the key is depressed. Thecurrent can further pass directly from the post I) to the contact 0through the spring 1) b and therefore the key 19 may be made of anysuitable non-conducting material.

The key itself is preferably rectangular in plan View and is adapted toreceive a strip of paper or cardboard bearing a symbol, and for thepurpose of holding the card in place a spring-clip d, bent in V form andhaving its ends inserted in apertures in the rear end of the key, isused.

The counters are indicated at e, and they may be of any suitablecharacter, although I prefer to use those shown in my applicationhereinbefore referred to. Each counter is electrically connected by abranch circuit, through a wirefand the wire 11 with one of the keys, asshown in the diagram in Fig. 6, so that each time one of the keys isdepressed the counter connected therewith is electrically actuated. Saidcounters are arranged in rows in the cabinet g, and each has provisionsfor receiving a card similar to that on the key. The contacts are allconnected with the main circuit by the Wires 0 The switch '1 is employedfor breaking the main circuit when the work has been completed on thetabulator.

By arranging the keys in several banks they are so divided that the keyof one division will not be operated by mistake for that of another, andconsequently all of the keys in one strip may bear symbols relating toone particular set of facts, while those of the others bear symbolsrelating to other sets of items or facts.

It will be observed that across the top of the bank of keys and down theside there are rows of inactive keys, each provided with a spring-clipfor the reception of a card or stripv of paper bearing a symbol.Consequently correlated tables may be formed with little difficulty. Forinstance, each horizontal row of keys may represent items relating tomales, and the second to females, or else the horizontal rows mayrelate, respectively, to persons of different races, as white, Chinese,Japanese, Indian, Malay, &c.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way ofconstructing and using the same, although without having attempted toset forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modesof its use, I declare that What I claim is- 1. The combination with anelectric circuit and branch circuits, of a keyboard having a pluralityof keys adapted to independently close said branch circuits, said keyseach comprising a stationary contact, and a pivoted member carryingaspring-support which also serves as a circuit-closing contact.

2. Means for closing an electric circuit, consisting of a contact-post,a key pivotally supported therein, a stationary contact adjacent saidpost, and a spring secured to said key and having one end resting onsaid post, the other end of said spring being adapted to be moved intoengagement with said contact by depression of said key.

3. The combination of akey adapted to close an electric circuit, and aspring-clip bent over the surface of the key and adapted to receive acard or slip between it and the key.

4. Means for closing an electric circuit comprising a contact-post, astationary contact adjacent thereto, a key pivotally mounted at one endin said post and overhanging said stationary contact, and a bowed springsecured to said key, one end thereof resting on said post and supportingthe key, the other end thereof being adapted to engage said stationarycontact when said key is depressed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES F. PID GIN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. GRUNDY, FRANK H. DROWN.

